How to Remove the Pet Smell from Your Home before Selling

There is a lot of planning and effort that goes into selling your home, so the more informed and prepared you are, the better. One crucial thing to keep in mind is that not everyone is a pet lover or animal fan. This is crucial because having a pet in your home can cause an odor that some might not be a fan of. Seeing and smelling a pet in their potential future home can be a deal breaker for many prospective buyers, especially if they believe that family pets belong outdoors in the backyard. You never know someone's unique beliefs, so it is best to just prepare yourself for the potential problem and clean your home accordingly.

Keep your pet elsewhere. When you are showing your house, having a cat or dog inside can be a real turnoff. An aggressive or hyperactive pet can have an even worse effect, and potential buyers might not even set foot inside. While you obviously love your pet, the people visiting your home are there to see the bare bones of the home, not have a rambunctious dog jump on or lick them. Doggy daycare can be a great solution, as well as a dog sitter.

Get the pet hair and dander out. Pet hair is a sneaky way that your home gets cluttered. Pet hair also embeds into the carpet fibers pretty intensely, so you need a top tier vacuum to get the hair out. These days, there are vacuum cleaners specifically engineered to lift and remove pet hair, such as models by Hoover and Bissell. Also, don't leave your focus just on the carpets. The couch and other furniture can be home to a slew of pet hair in the cushion cracks and upholstery.

Pet stains are a given that need to be taken care of, and if you need to get your carpets deep cleaned, then do it sooner rather than later. Tackle the carpet with a no-nonsense attitude, because carpet fibers are notorious for locking in pet odor and stains. Again, there are products specifically formulated for pet smells, but some of the best cleaners to use to try and kill the smell involve household items like white vinegar and baking soda.

Floor maintenance doesn't stop there though—you need to take special care of hardwood floors as well. Some seemingly hard wood floors are also very porous and can absorb animal urine and vomit, leaving the scent locked into the flooring. Chemical deodorizers are your friend when it comes to wiping these smells out for good. Also, citrus scented products can be great for deterring pets from using the bathroom on your floors.

Touch up the paint on the walls. Whether your pets play roughly indoors and scuff up the walls, or whether the pets were bad and spayed the wall, this needs to be cleaned and will likely dullen the paint.

Play around with home air fresheners and see what scent fits your space. Cinnamon and other scents similar to food (think vanilla, apple pie, etc) are generally safe scents because they are reminiscent of baked goods. Floral scents can be overpowering and can mix oddly with cleaners. Add some quick scent to the home by placing an apple and a cinnamon stick in the oven and baking for 15 minutes.

There you have it—some tried and true tips from the Baton Rouge local movers about getting the “pet smell” out of your home. Good luck!